Hay-rake.



I). PLATTNER. HAY RAKE.

WITNESSES:

I 'fj zz z g ZNVEA/TOR. By Q THE mamas PETERS co., WASHINGI'UN, D. c

A TTOR/VE Y5 PATBNTED JAN. 22, 1907;

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET l WITNESSES:

THE N D. PLATTNER. HAY BAKE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29. 1906.

im' 1m? PATENTBD JAN. 22, 1907.

. I 7 I a A fTORzVZi) S SHEETS-SHEET 2.

DAVID PLATTNER, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

HAY-RAKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 22, 1907.

Application filed January 29,1906. Serial No. 298,500.

To all whom itmay concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID PLATTNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented a new and useful Hay-Rake, of which the following is a specification.

rakes which are sometimes known as sweeprakes or bull-rakes and which are used for gathering hay and for delivering the same onto the carriers of hay-stackers.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide improved bearings for the rotary supporting means of this class of hayrakes.

Another object is to improve the adjustinglever, which also constitutes a lock whereby the rake-teeth may be supported with their points tilted upwardly from the ground.

Other objects of the invention are to simplify and improve the general construction and operation of this class of devices.

WVith these and other ends in view, which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described; and par ticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the recise structural details therein exhibited, ut that changes, alterations, and modifications within the scope of the invention may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hay-rake embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective detail views of the parts or members constituting the bearing of one of the main supportingwheels. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of one of the main supporting-wheels and its bearing, together with a portion of the rake-head. Fig. 6 is a sectional detail view taken on the plane indicated by the line 7 7 in Fig. 5.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated throughout by similar characters of reference.

The rake-head is constructed in the usual mediate cross-bar 6.

manner of a plurality of teeth or tines 1 1, secured upon and connected by a pair of crossbars 2 and 8, the forward one of which, 2, constitutes the axle upon which the supportingwheels of the rake-head are mounted, as will be presently more fully described. Secured upon the cross-bar 3 are uprights 4 4, which TlllS lnvention relates to that class of hayare connected at their upper extremities by a cross-bar 5 and below the latter by an inter- Braces, as 7, are provided to reinforce the construction.

The bar or axle 2 is provided with bearings for thesupporting-wheels 8 8, each of said bearings being composed of a sleeve 9 and a cap member 10, as shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings. The sleeve 9 has a longitudinal aperture 11 for the reception of the axle-b ar, which latter is preferably square in cross-section. Said sleeve is provided at one end with a bracket 12, having side flanges, as 13, adapted to engage the front and rear sides of the axle-bar. This bracket may engage either the upper side of the axle-bar, as shown in Fig. 1, or the under side of said bar, as shown in Fig. 5. Said bracket member is provided with a longitudinal slot 14 for the passage of the securing-bolt 15, whereby the sleeve may be adjustably secured upon the axle-bar. The end of the sleeve adjacent to the bracket member 12 has a flange or collar 16, provided with an annular groove 17 for the accommodation of one end of the hub 18 of the wheel 8. The opposite end of the sleeve distant from the bracket 12 is provided with lugs 19. v

The cap 10 is provided with a rectangular or non-circular aperture 20, engaging the axle-bar, and it has a bracket 21, provided with side flanges 22, adapted to engage the front and rear sides of the axle-bar, and with a slot 23 for the reception of a connectingbolt 24. The side walls of the aperture 20 are provided with recesses 25 for the reception of the lugs 19 of the sleeve 9, and the cap is provided with an annular flange 26, exteriorly engaging the hub 18 of the wheel 8.

By this construction and arrangement of parts, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, and

5 of the drawings, a very simple and efficient wheel-bearing is provided which may be readily applied to the bar which constitutes the axle of the rake-head and which may be readily adjusted in the proper position upon said axle. It will, moreover, be seen that when after a period of use the wheel becomes worn and loose upon the bearing the latter may be tightened by loosening one or both of the bolts and 24 and moving the sleeve and the cap in the direction of each other, the initial adjustment being such as to leave a space between the proximate faces of the sleeve and the cap, as will be readily seen by reference to Fig. 5 of the drawings. The ends of the hub will be guarded by the grooved collar 16 and by the overhanging annular flange 26, whereby sand and grit will be excluded. This is an important consideration when the rake is used in localities where the soil is sandy and where much sand is carried up by the wheels and dropped upon the axlebar, since unless excluded from the bearings the latter would speedily be worn out.

In the drawings guards or fenders 27 have been shown extending from the cross-bar 6 over the wheels and to cross-bars 28, con

.necting the teeth or tines between which the wheels are supported in front of the wheels. These guards or fenders serve to prevent the load gathered upon the rake-head from contacting with the wheels and obstructing the rotation of the latter.

The frame, which extends rearwardly from the rake-head, is composed of side members 29, connected and spaced apart, as by means of cross-bars 30. The rear end of the frame is supported upon caster-wheels 31, having swiveled yokes 32, provided with bolts 33, carrying sleeves 34, which are mounted upon said bolts between the arms of the yokes.

The frame supports a seat 39 for the driver or operator, and one of the cross-bars 30, directly in front of the drivers seat, supports the mechanism for adjusting the rake-head and for locking or securing the same when the points of the raketeeth are tilted upwardly for transportation. Said mechanism includes a pair of forwardly and rearwardly divergent uprights 40 and 41, which may and preferably do form integral parts of a single casting 42, which is provided with apertured lugs 43 for the reception of bolts or other means whereby it may be secured in position upon the cross-bar 30. uprights 40 and 41 are pivoted levers 43 and 44, the extremities of the uprights being preferably bifurcated for the reception of said levers. The lever 43, which is pivoted upon the front upright 40, is shorter than the lever 44, and it is provided with a laterallyextending lug or stop member 45. The lever 44, which constitutes the main operatinglever, is extended upwardly from its fulcrum to form a handle 46 and downwardly from its fulcrum to form a foot-piece or treadle 47, which latter is curved or cranked in a rearward direction. The levers 43 and 44 are connected with each other by means of a link Upon the 48, which is extended rearwardly of the lever 44 to form a handle 49. The lever 44 at a point intermediate its fulcrum and the point at which it is connected with the link 48 is connected with the upwardly-extending frame of the rake-head by means of for wardly-divergent connecting rods or bars 50,

which are preferably connected with the lever by means of straps, as 51.

By the construction and arrangement of parts as described it will be seen that when the lever 44 is thrown in a forward direction, as shown in Fig. 1 and in full lines in Fig. 2, the points of the rake-teeth will be dropped, the rake-head being tilted in a forward direction. This is the position assumed by the rake while the load is being gathered. When in this position, if an obstruction should be encountered by the rake-teeth there would be nothing to hinder the points .from rising and clearing such obstruction.

Then a load has been accumulated or when it is desired to adjust the rake-head to a nongathering position, the free upper end of the lever 44 is moved rearwardly by the operator, who may place his foot upon the treadle 47 in order to throw his entire weight upon the lever. Draft will thus be exerted upon the connecting-rods 50, and the lever 43 will rise until it passes into longitudinal alinement with the link 48, which latter will be engaged by the laterally-extending lug 45, thus locking the parts in adjusted position. The rake may be readily restored to its initial position by pushing downwardly upon the rearwardly-extended. extremity 49 of the link 48, which may be done either by the hand or the foot of the operator.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings hereto annexed, the operation and advantages of this invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which it appertains. The improved rake is sim le in construction, inexpensive, and thorouglily efficient for the purposes for which it is designed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A hay-rake consisting of a series of tines, a cross-bar attached to said tines near the ends thereof, laterally-adjustable sleeves located upon the crossbar at points between the tines, and supporting-wheels ournaled upon said sleeves.

2. A hay-rake consisting of i a series of tines, a cross-bar attached to said tines near the ends thereof and being of uniform breadth and thickness throughout its length, laterally-adjustable sleeves located upon the cross-bar at points between the tines, and supporting wheels journaled upon said sleeves.

3. A hay-rake consisting of a series of tines, a cross-bar attached to said tines near IIO the ends thereof and being of uniform I In testimony that I claim the foregoing as breadth and thickness throughout its length, my own I have hereto afiixed my signature laterally-adjustable sleeves located upon the in the presence of two witnesses.

eross bar at points between the tines, sup- DAVID PLATTNER. porting-Wheels j ournaled upon said sleeves, t and fenders mounted upon the tines in advance of said Wheels.

Witnesses:

JOHN PLATTNER, LEO PEKURE. 

